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G5 Head Coach Rankings: Mountain West Conference
© Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports

G5 Head Coach Rankings: Mountain West Conference

Originally posted on Mike Farrell Sports
By Mike Huesmann  |  Last updated Jun 13, 2025 7:00 AM ET

By Mike Huesmann

We are seeing a ton of authors and sites put out head coach rankings. Usually national, SEC or Big Ten and others. Rarely am I seeing this done for Group of 5 conferences, but that ends now. This will be my first article in a series of six where I go through every G5 conference and rank the head coaches, then for the finale I’ll do an overall G5 head coach ranking.

Today we start out West with the MWC. As I was doing the homework for this one, I realized it would be a task. This conference is chalked full of top-notch head coaches, some of whom have been at it for years and some relative newcomers. We have a heck of a list here.

12. Timmy Chang, Hawaii

Record: 13-25, 4th season

Chang was a much better player at his alma mater than coach—at least so far. In three years, the Rainbow Warriors have yet to post a winning record or make a bowl game. If he didn’t have an extremely long leash from the start, I’m not sure he’d still have his job or would have gotten it in the first place. In the last two seasons they haven’t been awful, winning five games each season. There is the potential for them to improve, I don’t think he’s dead in the water.

11. Jay Sawvel, Wyoming

Record: 3-9, 2nd season

I like Sawvel. He was a tremendous defensive coordinator at multiple FBS schools. He just doesn't have the body of work that these other guys have and his lone season with the Pokes was not good. I still believe he was the right hire for them, and they’ll get back to being competitive like the Craig Bohl years. One component in his favor is that they did play much better the last month of the season in 2024.

10. Sean Lewis, San Diego State

Record: 27-40 (3-9 at SDSU), 2nd Season

Kent State is one of the toughest places in America to win and Lewis was ok there. In some conferences he’d be higher but his overall record and struggles in his first year at SDSU knock him down the list. His offensive play and pace should help set his teams apart, but he will need his guys in the system. I certainly hope they give him the time to do that. He took Kent State to their last bowl game in 2022 and that streak might go on for a few years.

9. Jeff Choate, Nevada

Record: 31-32 (3-10 at Nevada), 2nd season

I can’t believe I’m rating Choate this low. He was on my top five hires list two years ago, and I stand by that. He’s a heck of a coach, but as I said before, this conference is full of them. His one season at Nevada only saw three wins, but that belies the growth we saw. He took over an absolutely awful situation and this team is improving.

8. Jason Eck, New Mexico

Record: 26-13 (Idaho), 1st season at UNM 

Eck comes in to replace a man we will see later in this list, Bronco Mendenhall. In three years at Idaho Eck was 26-13 with all but one of those losses to a ranked or FBS team. The Vandals made a playoff appearance in each of his seasons. He is taking over a situation that is better than it was a year ago and I expect the Lobos to keep the momentum going.

7. Matt Entz, Fresno State

Record: 60-11 (NDSU), 1st season at Fresno 

Love the hire of Entz here for Fresno. He was elite at FCS power NDSU, winning two national titles in five seasons. He is a winner who, I believe, will continue the winning ways of Pat Hill and Jeff Tedford. I just can’t put him higher on the list because he hasn’t coached an FBS game as a head coach yet. This team will be fundamental, run the ball and play tough defense.

6. Jay Norvell, Colorado State

Record: 49-47 (16-21 at CSU), 4th season

Just recently I wrote about Norvell and the Rams. I think they’re a dark horse to win the conference. His overall record doesn’t reflect his success. He took over an awful Nevada situation and a down CSU squad and turned around both very quickly. It’s tough to have him this low, but the overall record has to mean something. His wins have increased every year at CSU, from three to five to eight. I believe he’ll be a Power Four coach someday.

5. Spencer Danielson, Boise State

Record: 15-3, 2nd season

I’m probably ranking Danielson lower than most. I need to see more. His situation last year was so unique. It was to his benefit that he had the best G5 player in the modern era. His team was able to hand it to Ashton Jeanty so much and rely on one guy. How will he do in the post-Jeanty era? I need to know that before being sold on him. Gene Chizik won with Cam Newton, but didn't do much after that. His first year he hardly had a wrong step, he deserves that credit.

4. Ken Niumatalolo, San Jose State

Record: 116-89 (7-6 at SJSU), 2nd season

Niumatalolo was solid in his first year, picking up where Brent Brennan left off. I think the Spartans continue to play fundamental and sound football with him. In his 16 years at Navy, he was among the most impressive in the game. They made 11 bowl trips and won nine or more games in six of those seasons. What hurt him was the end. From the 2020 COVID season on, he won three games, four and four. That was an uninspiring ending. Still, his longevity there means something and he’s great for the MWC.

3. Dan Mullen, UNLV

Record: 103-61 (overall), 1st season at UNLV

Mississippi State was in a bad place after the Sylvester Croom years and Mullen righted that ship. His squads only missed a bowl game in his first season. They were even in playoff contention in 2014, the first year of the four-team format. At Florida he started with two double-digit win seasons before regressing to eight and then five wins. The rundown then was a top-notch coach but poor recruiter. At a G5 school and in the NIL era, this may play to his strengths. He is definitely taking over a better situation here thanks to Barry Odom.

2. Troy Calhoun, Air Force

Record: 135-89, 19th season

I strongly considered Calhoun for the top spot, but for reasons I’ll outline later, he misses out. The 2024 season was a down year at 5-7, and he hasn’t had many. Since 2007, the Falcons have been competitive, tough and have run the ball well. Much of that credit goes to Calhoun. He adapted to the triple-option service academy ball well coming from the NFL. How he adapts in the new rule, post-chop block era will be critical. This rule basically neutered the triple option. I think a coach as savvy as him will adapt just fine. The service academies are always at many disadvantages compared to other schools, and he’s handled that admirably. There is a reason he was frequently mentioned for other jobs. There aren’t many better.

1. Bronco Mendenhall, Utah State

Record: 140-88 (overall), 1st season at Utah State

I have always liked Mendenhall. He’s a solid coach. Some might argue him being ahead of Calhoun but in the end, it came down to those two. Mendenhall, in the same number of seasons, has more wins, less losses, more bowl appearances, made a New Year's Bowl (2019 Orange Bowl) and did it at tough places to win. He was outstanding at BYU. He took over a bad Virginia team and was decent. That program regressed when he left. Then in his sole year at New Mexico, they won five games. A number they hadn’t reached since 2016. He’s a veteran, he’s won everywhere and he’s consistent. There isn’t much else to ask for in a G5 head coach. 

This article first appeared on Mike Farrell Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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